A study published in Obstetrics & Gynecology found that vaccinating for the flu during pregnancy offers significant benefits, reducing the risk of influenza infection in infants by 44% during their first six months. This protection is most pronounced when vaccinations are administered in the second or third trimester, with reductions of 51.5% and 59.3% respectively.

Providing infants' parents with clear explanations and printed copies of up-to-date guidelines was associated with lower likelihoods of food allergies at one year in babies with high familial risks for allergies, researchers reported in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice. The study, conducted in Australia, found lower rates of peanut, egg and cow's milk allergies among infants whose parents received the educational intervention than among infants whose parents received no feeding advice. "[W]e believe that direct explanation and timely provision of these guidelines to families -- specifically around the time of solid food introduction -- is critical," said co-author Summer Walker.

Rapid exome and genome sequencing reduced the time to genetic diagnosis for noncritical pediatric inpatients from 289 days to 13 days, according to a study in The Journal of Pediatrics. The SeqFirst study, a collaboration between GeneDx and Seattle Children's, found the diagnostic yield remained above 40%, similar to rates in critical care settings.

An AAV9-mediated gene therapy called GC301 improved motor and cardiac function in children with infantile-onset Pompe disease, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine. Throughout the 52-week observation, no anti-acid α-glucosidase antibodies were detected, indicating a favorable immune response.

Phase 3 trial results indicate that marstacimab, a subcutaneous therapy, significantly reduces bleeding in patients 12 and older with hemophilia A or B with inhibitors, Pfizer said. Marstacimab had been approved in 2024 for use in patients without inhibitors.

A study in The American Journal of Gastroenterology found that 93.6% of coin ingestions in children passed through the gastrointestinal tract without requiring intervention. Of the cases where coins were retained in the esophagus, about 25% resolved spontaneously, particularly those in the mid- or distal esophagus.

An evidence review published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry found that exercise programs may help improve mood disorders in children and adolescents. The review, which analyzed data from 375 clinical trials, found that anxiety improved with low-intensity resistance exercise and depression improved with moderate-intensity exercise combining aerobic and strength programs.

Data from the advocacy organization Kids and Car Safety show that about 38 US children a year succumb to heat stroke from being left in a hot vehicle. At least five such deaths have occurred in June alone. Kathy Wall of Safe Kids Palm Beach County points out that it doesn't have to be extremely hot outside for a child to die in a car.

The CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly report found Mycoplasma pneumoniae caused 50% of pediatric pneumonia hospitalizations in 2024, with a notable rise in cases across all age groups. Children ages 6 to 12 had the highest burden at 42.6%, and infants experienced an 8.1-fold increase in cases compared with the 2018 to 2023 period. Despite increased hospitalizations, the severity of infections decreased, with shorter hospital stays and lower ICU admission rates.

The FDA has expanded warnings for messenger RNA-based COVID-19 vaccines to include more details about myocarditis risks, particularly for 12- to 24-year-old males. The updated label notes a risk of eight cases per 1 million people from 6 months to